THIS MONTH
Event
All Black Kiwis spotted in Hua Hin
The Auckland Rugby Team, including several former members of the New Zealand All Black, performed a traditional Hakka prior to the start of a training session at Dusit Resort, Hua Hin. The team were visiting the hotel as part of a training clinic for Thai rugby fans.
12-storey condominium resort Tropical Ocean View’s the grand opening
The Grand opening of the Palm Crescent.
“Palm Crescent” is a contemporary low-rise condominium inspired by the holiday homes along the Australian coast. It’s situated on an exquisite piece of land right next to first-class sport facilities and surrounded by magnificent views. Palm Crescent is another quality project by Palm Hills.
Hua Hin Online Community
Low season is upon us and the streets of Hua Hin are a little quieter this time of year, fortunately that seasonal lull does not transfer to the internet, as the forums have been as busy as ever. We usually find that many people start researching for their approaching holiday online when we in Hua Hin are going through a quiet spell. With more people using the internet, they find HHAD the best place to search for accommodation, recommendations, and things to do in advance of their approaching holiday. For the expats it provides a good place to share their knowledge and meet up with like-minded people.
This month discussions have revolved around all number of topics including the advantages and disadvantages of all the recent development and an interesting list of things that the town could do without. Most residents are in agreement about many of them with traffic topping the list of annoyances; we think a spell in Bangkok is due to regain some perspective!
Lots more discussion in the property section, most of which now centres on condominiums as foreigners can legally own the freehold to them resulting in a possible increase in demand. A number of new condominium developments have been started this year as their popularity grows, we will have more news on them with the launch of a new website next month.
The events and activities section was also busy with questions about the up and coming Hua Hin Golf Festival and condition reports on local golf courses. A boat trip was taken out to the local island of Koh Singhto (Lion Island) with a report to follow up. The trip provides a great way to get an alternative view of the Hua Hin, Khao Takiab and Khao Tao coastline, more information and bookings for boat trips can be found on www.khaotakiab.com
Health issues came under the spotlight with discussion on local dentists and health insurance policies. With many reports of over charging at certain Hua Hin hospitals a good health insurance policy should be considered by any expats living here.
Starting a business was the subject of a long discussion, which highlighted the pleasures and pitfalls of running your own business in Hua Hin. Being your own boss is a great concept but when weighed up with the increasing difficulties of bureaucracy, restrictions and red tape for visas, work permits and foreign companies the idea is no longer as appealing as in times gone by. Unless there are changes for the better we may start to see a decline in foreign managed small businesses in Hua Hin.
There were a number of discussions regarding finance and the dual exchange rate for the Thai baht. There appears to be a lot of confusion over which rates are actually used, onshore or offshore, throw in the weak dollar and there are certainly some interesting times ahead for currency speculators.
Digital cameras, Windows Vista, Hutch mobile internet connections and email accounts were all hot topics for the technically minded, with spam on the increase and no sign of YouTube returning to Thailand all seems to be “business as usual”.
Hua Hin Online Freebies
On the subject of the internet there are a number of free web resources for the Hua Hin area:
Free Classifieds – for Hua Hin at www.classifiedshuahin.com
Free Links – for Hua Hin websites at www.hua-hin.in.th
Free Business Listings – for Hua Hin shops and services at www.hhbd.net
The expats section was as busy as ever with more people considering the move to Hua Hin; many questions involved local schooling at an international level, cost of living and home care services. Most of this information can already be found on Hua Hin’s original expat website: www.expathuahin.com
HHAD forums are the definitive online message boards and discussions for the area with over 2,600 members. There are sections for finding and booking accommodation, seeking out bargains, and exploring the local area and beyond. There is also a nightlife section for the night owls, a restaurant and feeding guide along with an online meeting point for visa runners and clubs. The ever popular “Ask the expats” section is great for quickly getting the answers you need from the people that live here.
Logon and find out what is happening in Hua Hin:
There is also a blog for the Hua Hin area at:
Observer Interview: Joe Cole
On June 19th 2007 Joe Cole, the Chelsea and England footballer, made a brief visit to Hua Hin, as part of his trip to Thailand, which has since been covered extensively by national and international media. The Observer was lucky enough to meet Joe at the Black Mountain Golf Club, and also went with him to see the site where he is buying a luxury penthouse apartment at the Hua Hin Country Club condominiums, part of the Zephyr Valley project.
The common perception of modern day footballers is that they are vastly overpaid prima donnas whose antics both on and off the field set a bad example to the youngsters (and not so young!) who follow their every move. While the salaries of top (or even average) footballers have reached huge proportions, the argument is always that they can be justified by the entertainment these players provide to literally millions of fans worldwide, and besides that, it is all too easy to forget how quickly a footballer’s career can be ended in what is still a rough physical contest. Joe Cole suffered from two injuries last season alone (a knee injury at the start of the season and then a stress fracture in the navicular bone of his foot in December), which caused him to miss 6 months of the season.
On top of the risk of injury and their entertainment value though, top football stars, much like movie or pop stars, are not allowed the luxuries of either a moments peace when they are out in public, nor the opportunity to say anything without having to think two or three times first. Apparently simple questions asked by the press can have hidden agendas lurking in the shadows, waiting to gobble up the slightest verbal slip to become the next tabloid headline. Consequently all the top players have agencies that take care of them and have someone accompany them at every public appearance. Joe Cole is no exception to that, but he is a true professional, and as his agent said to us “he doesn’t really need me now” to avoid the sneaky or difficult questions.
On this trip though he needed have no worries about that; everyone was here to see him and ask him about what he thought of Thailand and what he had been doing in the close season and a host of similar questions. Along with the Observer he had to face questions from the Bangkok Post, The Big Chilli and the TV show Destination Thailand, and the biggest threat to him was either writer’s cramp from signing what seemed an endless stream of England and Chelsea shirts, or being knocked from his bar stool before he had even sat down by an over eager reporter wanting a picture with him holding her magazine!
Understandably Joe was unwilling to say anything about his rumoured summer wedding to fitness instructor Carly Zucker, given all the hype that surrounds the so-called WAGS (Wives And Girlfriends) in the British press. However he was very forthcoming otherwise, but surprisingly quietly spoken and modest. This was most charmingly shown when he was taken to the practice green and then on to the first tee at the golf course by the professional Kenny Walker, and requested that no photos or video was taken of him on the tee! As with many relatively novice golfers he was happy to putt in front of an audience but not drive, and when we asked him about playing golf, he admitted that “I’m a bit of a hacker” and not anywhere near as good as his club mates John Terry or Wayne Bridge, who he sometimes plays with.
This was his first trip to Thailand, and a very short one as well, arriving on the Monday and leaving on the Wednesday to fly to the States to watch the Ricky Hatton fight with John Terry and other football friends. Joe is a big boxing fan, and when we asked him about the Thai version, Muay Thai, he was keen to see some fights when he had time. The same applied to Asian football, although he “watches Football Asia when I get the chance” and his opinion was “what I have seen I am impressed by the level of skill, and it is only a matter of time before Asia produces more individual players that play in the top club leagues, and one or more of the national sides compete at the higher levels.”
There was an obvious intent to come here whenever he can “for at least a week at a time when possible and that would most likely be during the close season”. He said that he had been very impressed by Thailand so far and that “it had been recommended to me by several friends and team mates”. One of those may well have been David Beckham who was holidaying in Phuket and Samui at the same time as Joe was here, and has also stayed in the Hua Hin area on several occasions.
With Joe’s limited knowledge of Thailand dealt with, the talk naturally turned back to football, and we asked him about his favourite current players, and his boyhood idol, with both reflecting his own style of play. “Messi is a fantastic player; I’ve seen him a lot and just saw him score two goals (against Tarragona in La Liga) on Sunday. Growing up it was Gazza, he had brilliant skill”. As regards coaches and managers, Joe was full of praise for everyone he has worked with, particularly the youth team coaches at West Ham and Glenn Roeder “who made me captain and really encouraged me.”
Joe said that he has never had any thoughts about leaving current club Chelsea, but if he ever did “any team that likes to get the ball down and play would suit me. I don’t have a particular one in mind though.” He also would not be drawn on the future as regards the England manager – “I don’t see any reason why the current manager won’t be there for a long time, and I haven’t thought about who could, should or would replace him to be honest.” He did admit that his preferred position was “just behind the two strikers” but “I don’t mind playing anywhere because I love just playing, so where I play for Chelsea and England, on the left, is fine,” He added that he “wouldn’t like to point out weaknesses in my game but I work on improving everything and will continue to do so” when asked about his own abilities.
Although Joe did not look out of shape at all, as with most footballers training is not a favourite pastime; “I don’t want to think about training! But it starts on 2 July and I am going to start earlier than the rest of the squad because of the injury I had. Normally I will do some light exercise and jogging during the close season but the team at Chelsea have told me to take a complete break for three weeks, again because of the injury, which I came back from two months earlier than expected.”
Looking ahead to the new season, Joe thought that it was going to be the closest yet with more teams realistically competing for honours, and we also asked him who he thought would be the surprise teams this time around; “West Ham! They will do well and it was more of a surprise that they did so badly last season. I also think Aston Villa will, and that Sunderland could surprise a few people. Any team that spends money on good players can do well.”
Joe Cole will turn 26 in November, and it is hard to think of any others of his age who have managed to retain their boyish enthusiasm while still remaining utterly professional. It has been said before by others that he has an obvious love of football beyond anything else, and he just wants to play, and this shone through like a beacon on the day we met him. He had vivid memories of playing for West Ham against Bradford as his favourite game, a 5-4 home win for the Hammers when Joe scored his first League goal on 12 February 2000, a surprising choice maybe, considering his feats for Chelsea in the last few seasons.
However much football is his life though, the most important thing to him is his family (in which he includes his two dogs) and his girlfriend, and he seems to be following the best advice he says he was ever given; “Enjoy yourself. Very simple and I plan to do that”. Let’s hope we can all enjoy Joe playing for a long time, and see him fulfil his destiny. Legendary status awaits, perhaps?
Pub Quiz
Despite bad weather and global instability the quiz continues regardless. There is a hardcore of participants that try to outdo the quizmasters once a fortnight. Each round is expertly compiled and care is given to spread the subject matter around, allowing for all tastes. But beware, as things might not be as they seem. For those of you who haven’t attended the quiz, and why not, there is one round where a “joker” can be played. That brings back memories for anyone who used to watch it’s a Knockout. In this round all points are doubled. So the round is called out as “art”. Numerous teams play their “Joker”. First question, name the other member of the Sixties singing duo alongside Paul Simon. All the other questions had “art” in the answer but nothing to do with “fine art”. The lynch mob was dispersed without too much trouble.
So if you think you can get a few right then join us at Dick’s Office on the 5th and 19th of this month. 20.00 start.
Some questions used in the last quiz:
Which city in Northern Thailand was once capital of the Kingdom of Lanna?
In which Hitchcock film is the grizzly shower scene?
Which golfer is known as the “Big Easy”?
See you on the 5th.
Terry & Hugo
Earth Report
Glacial lake melts away
Scientists have blamed global warming for the disappearance of a glacial lake in remote southern Chile that faded away in just two months, leaving just a crater behind.
The disappearance of the lake in Bernardo O’Higgins National Park was discovered in late May by park rangers, who were stunned to find a 130-foot deep crater where a large lake had been.
After flying over the lake scientists said they were able to draw preliminary conclusions that point to climate change as the leading culprit for the lake’s disappearance.
They suggested the melting of nearby glaciers raised the lake’s level to the point where the increased water pressure caused part of a glacier acting as a dam to give way. Water in the lake flowed out of the breach, into a nearby fiord and then to the sea, said Andres Rivera, a glaciologist with Chile’s Centre of Scientific Studies.
Rivera, accompanied by an expert from the Chilean Antarctic Institute, flew over the site in a navy airplane, taking hundreds of photographs.
“On one side of the Bernardo glacier one can see a large hole or gap, and we believe that’s where the water flowed through,” Rivera said in a navy communiqué. “This confirms that glaciers in the region are retreating and getting thinner.”
He said that the bottom of the vanished lake again has some water, likely from the melting ice.
Similar phenomenon has occurred before in the southern Magallanes region.
As glaciers retreat lakes form behind natural dams of ice or moraine, earth and stones pushed up by a glacier. Those relatively weak dams can be breached suddenly, causing the lake to drain.
The advance and retreat of glaciers is part of the normal dynamics of the Patagonia but climate change was distorting the process, Rivera said.
“This would not be happening if the temperature had not increased,” Rivera said.
The navy communiqué said the missing lake was the smaller of a two-lake system. The larger one remains but at a lower level.
Big Bang – Loopy Theories?
A new study has revealed what may have happened before the big bang. The big bang has traditionally been seen as the beginning of everything-space, time, matter, and energy. But researchers are developing sophisticated new theories to look ever further back in time, to what happened just fractions of a second after big bang itself. In the new research, Martin Bojowald of Pennsylvania State University pushes one of these theories back even further—to the time of a purported previous universe that contracted and “bounced” to form our own. The new study comes with some bad news, though.
It suggests that the universe suffers from “cosmic forgetfulness,” so that we can never be able to find out too much about what came before our big bang. Our universe is expanding outward in every direction, implying that it originally exploded out from a single point about 14 billion years ago. The further we look back in time, the smaller and hotter the universe gets. At the beginning of time, most traditional theories speculate, the universe was infinitely hot and had no size at all. But no one knows for sure, since textbook physics suffers a meltdown and gives nonsensical answers when used to describe what the universe was like at moment of the big bang, Bojowald says.
These theories “tell us energies were infinitely large,” Bojowald said. “It doesn’t have any meaning for us. ”This is one reason why researchers have been toiling for decades to unite two main branches of physics—gravity and quantum mechanics. Gravity rules on cosmic scales, while quantum mechanics dictates the behaviour of tiny particles like electrons and quarks.
Uniting these two branches of physics would peel back time further and allow scientists to figure out exactly what the big bang was. But creating such a “theory of everything” has been a longstanding and difficult goal that has stumped every physicist who has attempted it, including Albert Einstein. Bojowald used a leading approach to this quandary known as loop quantum gravity, a competitor to the more popular approach known as string theory. Both theories are still incomplete and unproven, and each suggests very strange ideas about the fundamental nature of the universe.
In loop quantum gravity, for instance, space and time are not smooth and continuous but rather divided up into tiny chunks. In this mathematical approach, everything is jerky and blocky—although on such a tiny scale that it doesn’t affect daily life. Nothing can occupy a space smaller than the smallest chunk of space, and nothing can happen any faster than this shortest moment of time. This implies that the universe could never shrink down beyond a certain size. So when it was at its most compact, where did that tiny ball of energy and matter come from?
It could have come from the universe before our own, Bojowald argues. Unlike our expanding universe, this earlier universe was contracting back toward a point, he says. When it reached its most compact, it hit the barrier dictated by loop quantum gravity. Then it “bounced back” outward, forming a new, expanding universe. So if our universe came from an earlier universe, it’s natural to wonder what that ancestral universe was like. But there’s a problem: Quantum physics must have played a key role in the hot, dense state around the time of the “big bounce. ”Things behave very oddly in the quantum world. An object that appears to be in one spot when you first glimpse it can be in another spot when you look again. This jumpiness, known as uncertainty, is built into quantum physics. Building better measuring devices won’t get around it.
If the whole universe suffered from these jitters, “it could be impossible to have life,” Bojowald said. In our universe, however, such weirdness only happens on very, very tiny scales. But what about the universe that came before us?
When the universe goes through a big bounce, Bojowald showed, the amount of uncertainty before and after the bounce have little relation to each other. So there’s a veil that screens out much of what we would want to know about the earlier universe. This also implies that a universe is never the same before and after a bounce. Even that kind of cycle might be coming to an end, since scientists now believe that the universe is expanding faster every day, not slowing down as would be expected. So a re-contraction seems extremely unlikely under our current understanding.
[
return to the top ]
